Trap-door.



0. L. LINK.

TRAP DOOR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 1a, 1912.

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0. L. LINK.

TRAP DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1912.

, Patented 11614.29, 1914.

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0. L. LINK.

TRAP DOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1a, 1912.

l 1 22, 5 l 4., Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

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OLIVER L. LINK, 0F ST. CHARLES, MISSOURI.

TRAP-DOOR.

Specification of 'Letters Patent.

Application led May 18, 1912. Serial No. 698,124.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, OLIVER L. LINK, a citizenof the United States of America, residing in St. Charles, in the countyof St. Charles and State of Missouri, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Trap-Doors, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to trap doors, and is more especially designedfor use on vestibule platforms of passenger coaches.

The primary object of this invention is to construct a trap door formingpart of a vestibule platform and having mechanically operated means foropening said trap door and disclosing' the steps.

Another obj ect of this invention is to pro'- vide means whereby thedoor is opened slowly.

Another obj ect is to provide means whereby, when the trap door isopened, the operating means lie close against the under side' of thedoor so as not to obstruct the step passageway.

Other and further objects will appear inv the specification, and bespecifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had tothe drawings eXemplifying the invention, and in which,

Figure 1 is a cross section through this improved trap door and a partof the platform. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section through a portion of thecenter of the door, showing the operating means. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the trap door when in opened position. Fig. 4 is a planview of the trap door. Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line V-V, Fig.4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged section showing air inlet means to the workingcylinder.

Referring to the drawings: 1 designates the trap door, which is madepreferably of sheet metal, having reinforcing grooves 2, saidreinforcing grooves being adjacent the edge of the door. Said door hasfurther reinforcing grooves 3 adjacent the central portion of the doorand running parallel with the reinforcing grooves 2 which are adjacentthe side edges of the door, and intersecting with the reinforcinggrooves adjacent the front and rear edges of the door. Mounted on theunder side of the door, and in the center thereof, and adjacent thefront edge of the door is a cylinder 4 having one end open, as at 5, theother end being closed by the cylinder end or head 6.

Mounted in the cylinder 4 is a plunger rod 7, carrying a cup washer 8 atits vforward end, said washer being held in place bythe follower 9. Saidfollower 9 has a threaded portion 10 threads not shown which is screwedinto the forward end of theplunger 7, thus holding the cup washer 8 inplace. Mounted in the forward end of the cylinder 4, is a compressionspring 11, one end of said spring bearing against the cylinder head 6,and the other end bearing againstthe follower 9 of the plunger 7, saidfollower y9 having an extended portion 12 upon which the spring isseated.

Mounted on the plunger rod 7, and at the opposite end to which the cupwasher 8 is mounted on said plunger, is a socket 13, said socket 13being swingingly mounted onsaid plunger by the bolt or pintle 14. Oneend of this socket 13 is threaded interiorly, said threading receivingthe connecting rod 15.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.'

Said connecting rod 15 has its opposite end swingingly mounted on thebracket 16 by the bolt o1' pintle 17. Said bracket 16 is mounted on thesill 18 of the car. i

Mounted on the sill 18'and adjacent the under side and rear of the trapdoor`are the hinge members 19. Said hinge members engage the ends 2() ofthe hingev rod 21, said hinge rod being fastened to the vunder side` ofthe door by the rivets 22.

In providing'improved means for fastening the flooring or tiling to thedoor, the grooves 2 and 3, forming reinforcings for the door, are filledwith a plastic material, such as asphaltum, said material adhering inthe grooves, as shown at 23. i The tiling 24 is then laid on the door,said tiling being held down by nails or brads 25 which are driventhrough the tiling and through lthe plastic material. The edges' of thetiling adjacent the edges of the door are held in place by the L-shapedmetallic strips 26, being fastened to the door by the rivets 27. Saidstrips,4 when laid, form a recess 28 in which the edge of the tiling isinserted. Said metallic strips 26 have a depending edge 29 which dependsover and covers the edges of the door 1, thus forming an improvedfinishing strip.

To form an abutting resting strip for the under side front and sideedges of the door,

edge of the tiling of the vestibule floor, said v tiling edging beinginserted in the recess 31 of the retaining strip 30. The door, whenopened (as shown in F ig. 3) is held against closing by the gravitylatch 32; and when closed, is held down by the lock 83.

In order to provide means for manually opening the trap door in case themechanically operating elements become out of order, the ordinary fingerhold 34 is provided, said finger hold 34 having the finger or hand gripmember 35.

Located in the cylinder head 6 of the cylinder 4, is a split screw 36,mounted in the threaded opening 37. This split screw forms airregulating means for the cylinder 4.

The operation of this improved trap door is as follows. When closed (asshown in Fig. 1) and it is desired to open it, some one in authoritywill unlock ythe lock 33. Then the spring 11, which is under itsgreatest compression, will ybegin to expand. By

reason of one end of the spring bearing against the cylinder head G andthe other end against the follower 9 and plunger 7, the expansion ofsaid spring will be against the cylinder head 6. By reason of theconnection between the connecting rod l5 and the plunger 7 and bracket16, the door will begin to rise. This rising will be gradual and notwith a rush or quick opening. Said gradual rising of the door beingattained by reason of the cylinder 4 being moved from the plunger 7. Thecup washer 8 pressing against the walls of the cylinder, a vacuum willbe formed in said cylinder. The split screw 36 is mounted in thecylinder head 6, forming the regulating means for permitting air to flowinto the cylinder, thus completing the improvement for allowing the doorto be opened slowly, owing to the air regulating provided by thelongitudinal split formed in said screw. ln closing the door, thegravity catch 82 will be lifted, and the door pressed down into place,again forming part of the vestibule floor. 1t is held in place by aturning of the lock 33.

This improvement, by having the door open slowly is a perfect protectionto the operator or by-standers from injury, as if the door opened with arush, and the operator or by-stander happened to be standing over thepath of travel of the edges of the door, an injury would be likely tooccur. The manner in which the connecting rod l5 is secured to thesocket 13 affords means for adjusting the plunger by the turning of saidsocket or plunger. When this improved trap door is opened, theoperatingmeans will lie vertically against the under side of the door,thus leaving no parts or mechanism to obstruct the step passageway. 1fit is desired to construct a large and heavy trap door, two or more oflthese improved operating devices can be used.

W'hat I claim is:

1. The combination of a trap door, with a cylinder mounted on the underside of said door, said cylinder being slidably mounted on a plunger',said cylinder being spring actuated `from said plunger.

2. The combination of a door, with a cylinder mounted on said door, aplunger mounted in said cylinder said plunger holding a spring againstthe end of said cylinder 'L causing said cylinder' to slide on saidplunger.

3. The combination of a hinged door with a cylinder, said cylinder beingmounted on said door, said cylinder having a spring and f a plungermounted therein, said plunger being connected to a connecting rod, saidconnecting rod being out of alinement with said cylinder and plungerwhen said door is closed.

4. The combination of a hinged door with a cylinder, said cylinder beingmounted on said door, said cylinder having a spring and a plungermounted therein, said plunger 1seing connected to a connecting rod, saidet mounted in said cylinder a spring mounted in said cylinder, saidplunger holding said spring against the end of said cylinder causingsaid cylinder to slide on said plunger, and means whereby said door isopened gradually.

7. The combination of a hinged trap door forming part of a floor, acylinder mounted on the under side of said door, said cylinder y beingslidably mounted on a plunger, said cylinder being spring-actuated fromsaid i plunger, said plunger forming a vacuum in said cylinder, andregulating means for regulating said vacuum and said cylinder.

S. The combination of a hinged trap door forming l,part of a floor, acylinder mounted on the under side of said door, said cylinder beingslidably mounted on a plunger, said plunger carrying a packing elementthereon, said cylinder being spring-actuated from said plunger, saidplunger forming a vacuum in said cylinder, and regulating meansAfor,regulating said vacuum and said cylinder. y y

9. Thecombination of a door, and a cylinder mounted on said door, aplunger mounted in said cylinder, a spring mounted in said cylinder,said plunger holding said spring against the end of said cylindercausing said cylinder' to slide on said plunger, said cylinder creatinga vacuum when sliding on said plunger.

l0. The combination of a hinged trap door, a cylinder mounted on theunder side of said door, said cylinder being slidably mounted on theplunger, a spring located in said cylinder and interposed between thehead of said cylinder and said plunger, a connecting rod swinginglyconnected to one end of said plunger, sa' connecting rod being swingnglyconnected at its other end adjacent the under side of said door, andvacuum reducing means located at one end of said cylinder.

l1. The combination of a trap door, with a cylinder carried by saiddoor, said cylinder being slidably mounted on a plunger, said cylinderbeing spring actuated from said plunger, and means located adjacent saidcylinder for preventing a too rapid eX- pension of said spring.

l2. In a door operating mechanism, a door, a cylinder carried by saiddoor, a plunger mounted in said cylinder, a resilient member located insaid cylinder between said plunger and one end of said cylinder, saidresilient member adapted to slide said cylinder on said plunger to movesaid door.

18. In a door, operating mechanism, a door, a cylinder carried by saiddoor, a plunger mounted in said cylinder, a resilient member located insaid cylinder between said plunger and one end of said cylinder, saidresilient member adapted to slide said cylinder on said plunger tomovesaid door, and means whereby a too rapid expansion of said resilientmember is prevented during the movement of said door.

la. In a door operating mechanism, a door, a cylinder carried by saiddoor, a plunger mounted in said cylinder, an elastic me? dium in saidcylinder, said elastic medium adapted to slide said cylinder on saidplunger to move said door.,

15. A door having a spring carrying member secured thereto, an abutmentfor the spring of said member, said spring and said abutment adapted toswing said door and cause said member to move on said abutment.

OLIVER L. LINK. In presence of- H. G. FLETCHER, M.` C. HAMMoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

